It is easily forgotten that the fellowship of Christian brethren is a gift of grace. There is an intimate connection between God and His people. We live in a world where people isolate themselves to their own little zone. We live in a world that is consumed with selfishness and self-fulfillment that works against the idea that we are a fellowship. It has become manifested in the church by the attitude that the service has become a spectator event where people do things that you like. The church is there to entertain you, rather than giving you the opportunity of expressing the core of the spiritual life that you share together. Church is more than a Sunday ritual that takes away our guilt for the week, church provides fellowship, because “It is not good for man to be alone” (Genesis2:18). Jesus did not save us as believers, just so that we can go to heaven, He saved us so that we can become apart of a fellowship (universal) that is manifested in a local fellowship of believers who gather together to provide hope, encouragement, and support as we face the circumstances of life. Don’t forsake the assembling of yourselves together. … READ MORE

The greatest concern in living with our sinful past is not that we learn a series of Biblical principles or even take a few steps of behavioral obedience. The concern is that to fully enjoy Christ, we must have a clean heart (Psalm 51:10). God offers us the possibility of finding joy in Christ as we handle past events in a biblical fashion. We must understand then, that the foundation of life is not a religious system, or a set of behavioral standards . . . . IT IS A PERSON – JESUS CHRIST!!!! The Joy for those who have suffered is finding their refuge in Christ, and he seeing Him answer prayers, and help them experience spiritual Victory in their lives, for those who have sinned, joy comes from learning God’s Word as it enables them to have victory over their sin and practice genuine worship. The great joy that is available in Christ should motivate us to handle whatever unfinished business in the past that is hindering the full development of our relationship with Him. We need to work hard to empty the contents of our hearts so that we can fill them at the fountain of joy.… READ MORE

Many people feel stuck in their past even when they respond properly, because they still struggle with a couple of questions. I explored the first yesterday, let me attempt to tackle the second today:

2) How should I respond when I keep remembering my failures?

I must remember that what occurs in my mind is a choice of our will. one of the reasons we become stuck in our past is that we replay our sin over and over in our minds. This often comes from: a) a lack of genuine repentance – I am sorry I got caught, but not sorry that I did the act. b) The fear of man – What will people think about me if they learn what I have done? c) an unwillingness to forsake our sin – We are enjoy the sinful behavior so much, that we continue the behavior even when we struggle with the guilt. d) We lose our aw of God’s forgiving grace – Forgiveness is never earned, and should be forever appreciated. As I evaluate these things, I need to do three things to overcome and allow my failure to lead to success in my life. a) Recognize that … READ MORE